Indicator.



2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

INDICATOR.

B. v H.. WIKB.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 9. 1909.

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B. H. WIKI-l.

INDICATOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00T. 9, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

efzff. W2k@ ...Mgg/w@ UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

BERL H. WIKE, OF BARRY, ILLINOIS.

INDICATOR.

To all whom it may concern.:

Be it known that I, Bran. H. WIRE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barry, in the county of Pike and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to indicators, and one of the principal objects of the same is to providea simple, reliable and efficient device for indicating to tradesmen and others the character of goods, supplies or wants required by a householder. In many locations, especially in the suburbs of large cities, it is very desirable to provide some means to indicate to tradesmen the desires of a household without requiring the tradesman to walk a long distance from the outer gate to the house. Also in large apartment houses it is often desirable to provide means for indicating the desires of the tenant without requiring the tradesmen and others to disturb the tenant in order to get the order personally.

t is one of the purposes of my invention to provide an indicator of simple construction which can be readily operated from the house or apartment to indicate either at the front gate or at the vestibule of an apartnient house the desires of the householder or tenant.

These and other objects may be attained by means of the construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which,-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an indicator inade in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the indicator, showing the operating wires connected thereto and two of the indicating cards exposed. Fig. I is a vert-ical sectional view of the same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation and partial section of one of the keys for operating the indicator. Fig. 6 is a detail plan view, showing a portion of the keyboard and an auxiliary indicator. Fig. 7 is a partial front elevation of the indicator board.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 is a post adapted to be set int-o the ground at any required position relatively to the house, and secured upon said post is an indicator 2, said indicator comprising a baseboard or casing having a recessed front face in which is mounted an indicator plate 3 having card holders 1 secured thereto. The indicator plate 3 is adapted to slide int-o the Specification of Letters Patent.

Application sied october 9, 1909.

Patented Aug. 23, 1910. Serial No. 521,848.

recess in the indicator casing and is held in position by means of a hinge 5 at the lower end of the indicator and a spring latch 6 which engages the hinge to hold the plato in position within the casing. Formed in the face of the indicator is a series of sight the shafts 10 are projected alternately upon' opposite sides of the covers 9, thus providing spaces for the operating mechanism. Connected to each of the shafts 10 is a lever 12, and leading from each of these levers is a connecting rod or wire 13. Journaled upon the top of the indicator is a shaft 14, and secured to this shaft is a series of bell crank levers 15, and to these bell crank levers the upper ends of the connecting rods 13 are attached. Also connected to one of the arms of each of the bell crank levers 15 is an operating wire 16, said operating wires extending through a'guide plate 17 secured to the top of the indicator 2, said guide plate being supported by a bracket 18 secured to the rear surface of the indicator. Surrounding each of the operating wires 16 is a spring 19, one end of which is connected to the operating wire 16, andthe opposite end bears against the guide plate 17, the tension of said spring being exerted to close the covers 9 over the sight openings when the operating wires 16 are released.

As shown, the indicator is secured by means of suitable clips or clamps 20 to the post 1. However, the indicator may be secured to a wall or to any suitable support when used in an apartment house or in some other position not requiring the use of a post.

The operating wires 16 extend to the house or apartment and are connected to a keyboard Q1. Pivotally mounted upon the keyboard 21 is a series of levers 22, said levers each extending through a guide 23 provided with slots 21 through which said levers extend. The wires 16 pass through holes in a guide flange 24 rising from the keyboard 21, and a button 25 is secured to the outer end of each lever 22, and upon each of the buttons is a number 26. Connected to each of the levers Q2 is a pivoted latch 27 having a detent 2S adapted to engage the upper end of the slot 24 when the lever 22 is depressed to operate one of the covers 9 of the indicator. The lever 22 is provided with an arm 22a to which the indicating Wires 16 are connected, and a spring 29 is connected to this arm and the guide iange 24 for normally pulling the arm 22a toward said guide iange. An auxiliary indicator board or' plate 30 is provided With a series of detachable cards 3l which correspond in arraiigement and disposition With the indicating cards on the indicator and are provided With serial numbers 82.

The operation of my invention may be brieliy described as follows Vhenever the householder or tenant requires any of the articles to be displayed by the indicator, the particular lever 22 is depressed on the keyboard and held in position by means of the detent 28 engaging the upper Wall of the slot 24. Then the lever 22 is depressed the Wire 1G is pulled, and the cover 9 is raised to display the card S through the sight opening 7. 1When the lever 22 is released by operating the latch 27 the springs 19 and 29 serve to return the cover 9 to its original position to conceal the card 8.

From the foregoing it will be obvious that the indicator may be used to indicate a number of Wants by the householder or tenant at the same time, and that each card is displayed independently, thus permitting the householder to indicate all the wants at one time.

My invention is of comparatively simple construction, can be installed Without great cost, is a great convenience for both tradesmen and householders and Will result in the saving of much time and annoyance.

I claim l. An indicator provided with a series of sight openings, an indicator plate having a series of cards thereon behind said openings, covers for said sight openings, rods, said rods being journaled upon the indicator and connected with the covers on the indicator, levers connected to said rods, bell crank levers on the indicator, connecting rods leading from the levers to said bell crank levers, operating Wires connected to said bell crank levers, a keyboard provided with a series of levers to which said operating Wires are connected, latches secured one to each lever for holding the same depressed, and springs for returning said levers and closing said covers when released by the latches.

2. An indicator for the purpose described,

Vcomprising a casing provided With a cutaway portion having' a series of sight openings, a removable indicator plate provided With a series of cards Within the cut-away portion and disposed in alinement with said sight openings, covers for each of the sight openings hinged to the indicator, a key board provided with a series of levers, an operating Wire connecting each of the levers with each ot' the covers, a spring element connected with the lever for normally retaining the covers in their closed position, a guide plate having a slot for each of the levers, and an ofset dog adapted to engage the Wall provided by the openings of the guide plate.

3. An indicator of the character described comprising a casing provided With a series of sight openings, an indicator plate provided With a series of removable cards, covers for the sight openings, said covers being hinged to the indicator, a keyboard provided With a series of levers, a slotted guide for said levers, latches connected to each of said levers for holding` the latter depressed, operating Wires connected to said levers, means connected to said operating wires for operating the covers, and springs for returning said covers to their closed positions.

ln testimony whereotl I alrix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

BERL H. VIKE.

fitnesses En Havs, EDMUND KELLER, 

